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<keyword id="19895282" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mumbai" source="keywords">Mumbai</keyword>, With a larger number of entities preferring to shift their work back to offices, there has been a decline in women workforce in senior management roles in companies, a report said on Thursday. This is the third consecutive year that the share of women in the senior management roles 'considered essential for promoting diversity at workplaces' continued to decline, the report by consultancy firm <keyword id="20034170" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="grant-thornton-bharat" source="keywords">Grant Thornton Bharat</keyword> said. The onset of the pandemic around four years ago triggered a move to working from home, which offered a lot of flexibility for all the workers. However, with things getting back to normal, there has been a shift to working from offices and many companies are also ending the hybrid work models which they had adopted as the pandemic waned. The report, which comes ahead of the International Women's Day on March 8, is based on the inputs from about 300 women in senior management roles from as many companies. The consultancy firm said 34 per cent of women in Indian mid-market businesses currently hold senior management positions, which is modestly down from 36 per cent in 2023 and 38 per cent in 2022. It, however, stressed that the current percentage is much higher when compared to the 12 per cent figure in 2004 and 14 per cent a decade ago in 2014. Businesses offering a hybrid model have decreased to 56.5 per cent in 2024 from 62.3 per cent last year, while those asking employees to return to the office have increased to 34.7 per cent in 2024 from 27.4 per cent in 2023. It said staff working out of their homes has also significantly dipped to 1.8 per cent in 2024 from 5.3 per cent in 2023. The consultancy firm's chief business officer <keyword id="20865785" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satya-jha" source="keywords">Satya Jha</keyword> said the need of the hour is to allow employees to work flexibly. "Measuring the number of women who have moved into senior management positions is very important to understand whether, internally, women are being championed to progress and move up the ladder," <keyword id="20865786" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pallavi-bakhru" source="keywords">Pallavi Bakhru</keyword>, a partner at the consultancy firm, said.

Back to office led to decline in women in senior mgmt roles: Grant Thornton

In the era of technological superiority, a <keyword id="6362609" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manager">manager</keyword> isn’t someone who merely knows how to ‘manage’. The role has gone beyond its literary meaning, and has taken over a space that is niche. Communication skills are as important as the technical know-how of the job. In other words, if you are someone who believes that you can lead your team, create things that can shake the market or better people’s lives, and yet have the team together for the second product to come out; you are simply The King. 
 <keyword id="610471" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="employee-engagement">Employee engagement</keyword> today is a huge challenge for companies and organisations that put in a lot of efforts and time into recruiting right kind of people. Once recruited after a rigorous training process, it is important to hold them together because you know they are worth more than their time at the organisation. 
 
Booming companies and a vibrant array of opportunities make it difficult to keep the employee attrition rate in check across the table. But the effort of having to go beyond the call of duty to consider the employees as your partners in the path to success, and have them stay with you is something that yields rich dividends. 
 Just because, employee engagement has a vast base that touches almost all aspects of human resource management we have known so far. Pillars that hold the employees together are varied and all encompassing. For instance, some may feel job satisfaction is of highest importance for an employee to stay motivated and remain longer in an organisation; there might be a few leaders who would associate more importance to aspects such as commitment stemming out of creation of motivated <keyword id="6356826" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="environment">environment</keyword> and largely the behaviour and trust exhibited by the organisation’s leadership; starting from, say, the <keyword id="2377028" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="immediate-manager">immediate manager</keyword>. 
 <keyword id="278112" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pallavi-Jha">Pallavi Jha</keyword>, chairperson and MD, <keyword id="273139" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dale-Carnegie">Dale Carnegie</keyword> Training India, has spent years together studying both the corporate set up and employee behaviour. She has some useful insights pertaining to the topic. Pallavi says, employee engagement is not a segmented aspect that can be compartmentalised and is tied to various aspects that influence the concept. 
There are three key factors that influence the employee engagement. 
 
Relationship with immediate surroundings This could be the supervisor, co-worker who is in charge of the team, or even the <keyword id="2965335" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="manager-an-employee">manager an employee</keyword> is reporting to. “The relationship with the first contact person, or <keyword id="228364" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="immediate-supervisor">immediate supervisor</keyword> plays a very significant role in establishing how the employee feels about the company. This is crucial and a compounding part that builds and retains the employee engagement,” says Jha. 
 
She further adds, “No matter how motivated an employee is, if the manager isn’t able to address the concerns or provide satisfactory response to the challenges an employee faces, an asset of an employee has the potential to turn into a dead investment. Hence, it is important to treat this as a foundation level and ensure this has been addressed as and when needed.” 
 
Trust and pride 
Though this is a prominent characteristic that decides the employee loyalty to the company, it is also a two-pronged strategy. When you build the manager-team worker relationship, infusing trust by way of ensuring the worker has placed his faith and trust in the highest level of leadership. 
 Complete trust in senior management has to be ascertained through various contact points. Reaffirming employee’s commitment to the company’s vision in a manner that increases credibility has to be done periodically as against a fire fighting method. But, more often than not, companies do not <keyword id="47916" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="invest">invest</keyword> in this exercise and lose out on very skilled and highly qualified workers, for ignoring this at their own peril, sometimes. 
 
When an employee joins the company, he/she would have attached a certain brand value, some sort of relationship with the company’s vision and ethics. Making sure that these remain intact through the time of employee’s stay in the organisation will only add to the values of the company and increase productivity of the worker. 
 
Bridging the generations 
Jha says that millennials are what drive the companies in the contemporary scenario. “Today, millennials are driving the organisations to a great extent. They are a competitive, confident and hard-working lot and very globalised in their working approach. I call Brightness combined with attitude, ability and potential as 'wisdom' and millennials have got all that. They are go-getters and do whatever it takes them to get involved in the organisational processes. One aspect of employee engagement is to manage these millennials!” 
 
In many organisations there is a huge generation gap and young workforce face challenges initially but HRs in companies today have learnt to iron out the differences. The HR segment has hugely evolved in India over the last few years and modern companies have become more active, innovative and alert. Most importantly, they play a major role in employee engagement and leadership initiatives. 
(Image: Thinktsock)

​Three Efficient Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Even though the numbers of <keyword id="1066454" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="female-workforce">female workforce</keyword> has increased in the country, a survey reveals that female workers in the Indian workforce are significantly more disengaged than their male counterparts. As per the survey, just 39% of women were fully engaged while for men, the number is 50%. 
 
The results were published by an Employee Engagement Whitepaper released by Dale Carnegie Training India. 
 
"Several HR functions even have gender diversity targets. But the real challenge continues to be high dropout rates and every level of the hierarchy and eventually the glass ceiling," Dale Carnegie Training India Chairperson and MD Pallavi Jha said. 
 
The report also highlighted that whatever expectations Indian women have from their workplaces, there company doesn’t fulfil them, especially when it comes to their male peers. In some cases, these unmet expectations also lead to disillusionment and the organisation reaches low productivity and lower retention. 
 
"In order to understand how to retain women and grow them it is imperative that organisations look at engagement more holistically," Jha added. 
 
While the results are shocking, there are also various companies that undertake measures so that there is gender diversity in their staff and that their women workforce is fully engaged. 
 
<a href="http://i.livescience.com/images/i/000/026/772/original/male-female-brain.jpg?1335876826">Image source </a>

Survey reveals that only 39% women are fully engaged at work, as compared to 50% men

Good <keyword id="76793" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="managers">managers</keyword> are essentially not the ones who hound their <keyword id="6357081" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Employees">employees</keyword> to achieve deadly targets. They don't need to be feared, they need to be the ones employees can get inspiration from. If they adopt the ‘right’ approach, managers can have a significant impact on job satisfaction and retention, without exception, across the globe. 
 
Several studies have indicated that the behavior of best managers have helped attract exceptional staff; made the organization a preferred employer; helped increase the market share; added to profits and surpluses, and reduced costs. Most importantly, their staff is often more engaged, committed and ‘ready to go the extra mile’ to do tasks and deliver on targets. But a pertinent question to ponder over is the right approach for managers to deal with their teams, particularly for Indian managers. 
 We spoke to Pallavi Jha, the Chairperson &amp; Managing Director at <keyword id="1072572" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dale-Carnegie-Training-India">Dale Carnegie Training India</keyword>, to understand the key behaviors of Indian managers that can get the best out of their team members. Drawing results from a global study by the firm, she told us - "Exhibiting these six traits that some of even India's best managers lack, they can truly inspire team confidence in their leadership, and be as effective as some of the greatest leaders": ‎ 
 
Sincere appreciation and praise are essential to motivating employees around the world. Words of encouragement play morale booster and develops a sense of gratitude in employees for their managers. 
 
Encouraging employees to improve daily and being an active part of that process is another key trait that makes for a great manager. “Effective leaders both develop themselves and create a safe environment that fosters their employees’ capacity to grow,” says Pallavi. 
 
Admitting their own shortfalls before criticizing others can help employees respect their leaders, and follow their opinions with a lot more devotion and commitment than those who do not respect their team leads. A lot of times, a manager who may appear to be too full of himself/ herself, leaves no opportunity to criticize a team member over the slightest of mistake, but may never reflect self apology for their own mistake. This behavior rarely goes unnoticed by team members, and it’s highly likely they can start looking down upon their leads for the hypocrisy. A little bit of self introspection before taking a yell at others is a good practice to keep you under check. 
 
Recognizing <keyword id="2960442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Performance-improvement">performance improvement</keyword> plays key part in springing up a feel-good factor among employees. The feeling of being lauded by your manager can go miles in motivating team members, the direct output of which shows in their ideas, commitment and quality of their work. 
 
Being pointed out mistakes in an indirect and tactful manner saves team members unnecessary embarrassment for which they will always hold their managers in gratitude. Moreover, it helps employees take the soft criticism in the right spirit and act accordingly, which leads to better productivity. 
 
Leaders who are externally-reliable as well as internally-reliable, meaning honest and trustworthy with others and true to their beliefs and principles, help employees feel a sense of satisfaction and also improve retention. 
 
<a href="http://www.centraltest.com/article/5-ways-good-managers-can-transform-underperforming-teams">(Image source)</a>

These are the 6 Key Qualities of Highly Effective Leaders that even some of India's Best Managers are lacking

There is an abundance of people in <keyword id="34454" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="leadership">leadership</keyword> roles of various kinds all around us. However, what’s important to know is, it’s not being in the role of a leader, but how effective you are in that role that matters. There are myriad successful <keyword id="19491" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="leaders">leaders</keyword> who we may consider role models – may it be a politician like Abraham Lincoln who single headedly abolished slavery in America, an activist like <keyword id="828434" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="che-guevera">Che Guevera</keyword> who lead the Cuban Revolution, Gandhi, who brought India its Independence, a professor who guided you through college, or even a boss who pushed you to your full potential. What is the one thing they all had in common? They made an impact. 
 In a recent Employee Engagement Study conducted by Dale Carnegie Training India in partnership with <keyword id="2832235" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-HRD">National HRD</keyword>, that surveyed over 1200 employees across various organisations and sectors within India, it was interesting to note that among the functional and emotional elements surveyed, two of the three key drivers that stood out as having the strongest effect on employee engagement were: 
 
· Satisfaction with immediate manager 
· Belief in senior leadership 
Whether it’s a senior manager or an immediate supervisor, their impact as a leader on their employees is directly affecting the levels of engagement at their organisations. 
 
Leadership is about having the ability to gain cooperation, persuade others to your point of view and rally a team toward a common goal. It is not merely about being able to communicate professionally and confidently in any business situation, expressing your ideas in ways that are heard, generating enthusiasm from managers, co-workers, staff, and clients but is also about giving difficult feedback, resolving conflicts, delegating effectively, and building relationships based on trust and accountability. 
 
Here is a list of 5 attributes that make a successful leader: 
 
1. They lead by example 
Leaders set the tone for the organization and define its goals. These behaviors and goals need to be clearly defined, realistic for the employees to achieve and communicated throughout the organization. This will create a shared sense of responsibility for the success of the organization. 
 
Workers’ perception of senior leaders tends to be less positive than their perception of immediate supervisors, possibly because they are distanced from management and more likely to concentrate blame for all problems in the organization on the executives. Leaders have to project a positive manner in all interactions with other managers and employees and be accessible to them. 
 
Each team or department needs to understand how its roles and tasks fit into the organizational vision. Use the diversity of skills, experiences and backgrounds within the team to create an enthusiastic and innovative environment. Build a climate of trust within the team, ensuring that the necessary feedback. 
 
2. They value others 
Undervaluing his/her people is one of the biggest mistakes a leader can make. The Dale Carnegie India Employee Engagement Study 2014 talks about how one of the top emotional attributes of engagement is feeling valued. As such, leaders need to treat their colleagues and subordinates as valuable people with skills rather than people with valuable skills. 
 
3. They show genuine interest in others 
According to the Dale Carnegie India Employee Engagement Report 2014 only 45% Indian employees were satisfied with their immediate supervisor and 12% of the respondents were actually very unhappy with this key relationship. While a majority of the respondents said that their immediate supervisor treats them with respect, they also felt that s/he is not interested in them or does not care about their personal life. We cannot effectively influence others if we do not work on building meaningful relationships with them. As Dale Carnegie himself said, “The only way on earth to influence the other fellow is to talk about what he wants and show him how to get it.” 
 
4. They admit their wrongs 
Being able to admit our own mistakes demonstrates strength of character. People will trust and respect you more if you are able to own up to your errors. Nobody looks up to a leader that shies away from taking responsibility, makes excuses or blames someone else for his/her mistakes. This concept eliminates barriers and helps others to be more open to being influenced by you. In fact, it has been observed that greatest learning and growth for a leader comes from the mistakes s/he makes and the obstacles s/he overcomes. 
 
5. They are hungry for knowledge 
The ‘power of knowledge’ is an invaluable concept that has been expounded to us all since we were young. The greatest leaders are those that never forget this piece of advice and never stop learning. Reading, listening, engaging, asking questions and keeping an open mind, together, are the foundations for success. An individual with a know-it-all attitude and arrogance about his/her own intellect is only restricting him/herself from reaching greater heights. The most impactful, influential and successful leaders are the ones hungry to learn and expand their knowledge in order to adapt to today’s fast changing world. 
 
(About the author: The article has been written by Ms. Pallavi Jha, Chairperson and Managing Director, Dale Carnegie Training India.)

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Back to office led to decline in women in senior mgmt roles: Grant Thornton

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Three Efficient Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Preetam Kaushik

Survey reveals that only 39% women are fully engaged at work, as compared to 50% men

BI India Bureau

These are the 6 Key Qualities of Highly Effective Leaders that even some of India's Best Managers are lacking

Anushree Singh

Top 5 Attributes To Succeed As A Leader

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You Searched For "Pallavi Jha" and got 5 results

Back to office led to decline in women in senior mgmt roles: Grant Thornton

PTI

​Three Efficient Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Preetam Kaushik

Survey reveals that only 39% women are fully engaged at work, as compared to 50% men

BI India Bureau

These are the 6 Key Qualities of Highly Effective Leaders that even some of India's Best Managers are lacking

Anushree Singh

Top 5 Attributes To Succeed As A Leader

Guest Author

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides

Three Efficient Ways to Improve Employee Engagement